Re-application

[randomguy1287]

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Hello

This is the first time i am posting here so sorry if its long and detailed hahaha. I applied to medical school this year and so far i have only gotten 2 interviews and at the school i would like to go to (SUNY Buffalo) I am waitlisted on the lower 1/3 of the waiting list which means that my chances of acceptance are very low. So I have decided that I will most likely not get into any school (even thou I am hoping for a miracle!). anyways for my reapplication I was wondering what I should work on here is a basic outline of my current application:
MCAT #1 P11 V8 B12 W-O
MCAT #2 P13 V10 B10 W-P
GPA: 3.96
Volunteering about 100 hours that I did mainly in my sopohomore year of college.
Research: Have been working in a lab at my school for over 2 years now on various projects. with one publication (not the primary author).
Shadowing: about 30 hours at local emergency rooms. and during my volunteering hours. also some shadowing with my own doctor at his office.

I feel like the weak point of my application is the shadowing and clinical exposure and possibly the mcats since things are so competitive this year. Here is wat I preliminarily plan on doing to fix my application:
Start voluteering at a local hospital that can give me some more clinical exposure. Retake the Mcats in early may probably? Should i even retake the MCATS is taking it 3 times detrimental to my application? graduate at the end of the spring 2009 semester. Possibly either get a job as an EMT (I have to get the training with it) or a pharmacy tech. Or if that doesnt work get a regular job and just volunteer more hours. Also possible try to do something with my research to summarize it or continue it over the summer at least. Also I feel like I would want to get a couple new letters of recommendation.

I would appreciate any opinions on anything I said above or you think will help! Thanks in advance!🙂

 

[randomguy1287]

does anyone have any opinions or suggestions?

 

[dragonfly99]

First, I agree with your plan to increase clinical experience, and schools especially look at recent clinical experiences...so a couple years old they might be calling it "old", which I personally think is dumb.

With your GPA being that high, you don't need to take any more classes.
How did you do in organic chemistry, and upper level biology classes?
What is/was your major?

I don't think retaking the MCAT is going to help you much...not much room to improve on the physics, the verbal is already fine and tends to be a hard section to raise, ditto for the writing sample. I suppose you could potentially raise the bio score back up 2-3 points, but I am not at all convinced it will help your application.

With your numbers, you should have been getting more interviews. I suspect something is wrong with your paper application...the way you present yourself in the application and/or your letters of recommendation. Have an English professor and a premed advisor(s) read over your personal statement and the rest of your application. Who are your LOR's from, and do they know you well? Do you have one from an MD?

Did you apply early on in the year (like June/July, and not later)? Med schools are on rolling admissions, which gives a big advantage to those who apply early.

Lastly, if SUNY downstate is where you want to go, you need to telephone them (either now or wait a couple of months) and politely ask for input about what THEY think you should do to improve your application, lay it on thick about how you want in there, blah blah blah. Persistence may be helpful in getting in there, as I understand there are a lot of qualified applicants to New York medical schools.

How many schools did you apply to? Did you apply to some private schools also...especially those that are less competitive to get into.

 

[randomguy1287]

thanks for the reply!
I am a pharmacology and toxicology major and i basicaly have an A in most my classes including orgo and lots of upper level bio classes. I applied to 9 schools and it was kind of wide range of schools. I was expecting to get into better tier schools so to speak so SUNY buffalo was basically my fall back school and basically my top choice. as for my application i finished my AAMCAS and it was reviewed by late july but there might have been a delay because my second MCAT score was not complete until early october (since i took it on september 5th). finally as for my letters of recommendation I felt like that was my weakest point I didnt have one from an MD and also i suspect that one of the science professors kind of pulled a fast one on me probably and gave me a bad one? My personal statement was ok i no that it didnt have a compelling life changing story in it but it was a typical personal statement it was reviewed by my advisor and english professor. Im guessing this time round I should get some new letters of recommendation atleast 2 new ones and work on more clinical exposure and write a new personal statement.

Thanks for the help and id appreciate and further opinions you or anyone has!

 

[dragonfly99]

OK that info helps.

Now I advise:
-don't retake MCAT (most likely...nobody can tell you for sure)
-keep volunteering @ a hospital. Try to get to know at least 1 doc who can write you a LOR.
-have at least 4 (or even 5) LOR's prepared, and then if it's possible get your premed committee and/or advisor to review them for you and ask for "suggestions" about which 3 to use. This weeds out any bad ones. I bet you had one that was lukewarm or something...
-your application being complete in October was too late...it isn't like college apps and being early matters a lot
-you didn't apply to nearly enough schools. Try 20-30 next year and you should be safe.

Minor things:
-make sure your personal statement looks OK
-there can be prejudice on some adcoms about traditional science majors, so some may think you are "nerdy" so make sure to have some interesting-looking hobbies or something on your application (likes to juggle, or likes modern art, etc.)

 

[randomguy1287]

thanks for the advice! i really appreciate it. I have an appointment to talk to my prehealth advisor on thursday so I will ask her on specifics about the LORS that I have and whether or not I can have her check them and the new ones i get over before submitting them. hopefully i either get really lucky and get in this year since i am still waitlisted bottom third. or this advice helps out and I am set for next year.

Thanks again!!🙂

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Suggest that you also bring the Amcas primary to the advisor's office - apparently several things in my essay were not read because they were not specifically, point by point, mentioned in my Amcas primary under the "experiences" section -- I redid the amcas primary completely in a VERY EXPLICIT AND SIMPLE manner that could not possibly be misconstrued by even an adcom person spending 30 seconds skimming it.

This really shocked me last year - feedback that I rec'd from several offices was that I needed to add experience in one of my strongest areas which was the focus of my personal statement..these guys don't have the time to fully read an essay, so one must make it simple!

Concur that the MCAT's likely not the issue, or clearly the grades, my bet is it's the clinical exposure, wording of primary, time of application completion (this last cycle particularly; seemed like my secondaries being complete in Sept kept me out of the running at schools that reviewed & liked my background per conversations with them last spring). If it doesn't work out this year, definitely call the schools to request feedback and share your interest in them!

 

[Scottish Chap]

Hello

This is the first time i am posting here so sorry if its long and detailed hahaha. I applied to medical school this year and so far i have only gotten 2 interviews and at the school i would like to go to (SUNY Buffalo) I am waitlisted on the lower 1/3 of the waiting list which means that my chances of acceptance are very low. So I have decided that I will most likely not get into any school (even thou I am hoping for a miracle!). anyways for my reapplication I was wondering what I should work on here is a basic outline of my current application:
MCAT #1 P11 V8 B12 W-O
MCAT #2 P13 V10 B10 W-P
GPA: 3.96
Volunteering about 100 hours that I did mainly in my sopohomore year of college.
Research: Have been working in a lab at my school for over 2 years now on various projects. with one publication (not the primary author).
Shadowing: about 30 hours at local emergency rooms. and during my volunteering hours. also some shadowing with my own doctor at his office.

I feel like the weak point of my application is the shadowing and clinical exposure and possibly the mcats since things are so competitive this year. Here is wat I preliminarily plan on doing to fix my application:
Start voluteering at a local hospital that can give me some more clinical exposure. Retake the Mcats in early may probably? Should i even retake the MCATS is taking it 3 times detrimental to my application? graduate at the end of the spring 2009 semester. Possibly either get a job as an EMT (I have to get the training with it) or a pharmacy tech. Or if that doesnt work get a regular job and just volunteer more hours. Also possible try to do something with my research to summarize it or continue it over the summer at least. Also I feel like I would want to get a couple new letters of recommendation.

I would appreciate any opinions on anything I said above or you think will help! Thanks in advance!🙂

No, I don't think shadowing is the problem. It's not "old" - mine was eight years before application, and it was fine. On paper, you're in much better shape than I was. Honestly, shadowing is important, but based on your post, you have shadowing, research, great grades, and a great MCAT score. Something is wrong here.

Is it possible that one of your letter writers was lukewarm or even bad? Do you know yourself to be a weak interviewee? If it's either of those two, it's not difficult to fix. The GPA is fine, and don't retake the MCAT; it's also fine. I've interviewed many people over the last three years, and there is nothing you have posted that should be keeping you out of several schools. Something else is wrong.

 

[NTF]

thanks for the advice! i really appreciate it. I have an appointment to talk to my prehealth advisor on thursday so I will ask her on specifics about the LORS that I have and whether or not I can have her check them and the new ones i get over before submitting them. hopefully i either get really lucky and get in this year since i am still waitlisted bottom third. or this advice helps out and I am set for next year.

Thanks again!!🙂

Wow. It really strains my imagination that someone with your credentials only got 2 interviews (didn't apply broadly enough?). But I'd also suggest calling a few schools you applied to to get their advice about what to improve on your app. Some admissions offices can be very helpful in giving advice to reapps. But you'll probably have to wait until april or may to call them when things get less hectic.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you for this year. What's the status of your other interview?

 

[icaruswalks]

On paper your application looks really really good. Maybe a lot of the intangible and or "soft" parts of the application maybe the issue? You might wanna call and see if they had issues with any of the LORs you submitted? If not, try and call and see what issues they had with your app and work to improve them. If its an interview issue, maybe go to your advising office and see if you can setup some practice interviews (or with family members, friends, etc.).

Last but not least, I think presentation plays a big factor as well, getting that whole package on the AMCAS and on the secondaries may be another possible area for improvement. Anyhow, best of luck! 🙂

 

[LaRoja]

just a note about becoming an emt...

im not sure how much you have researched being an emt, but if you are reapplying this year im not sure i would suggest it. the training can cost you upwards of $2000, and takes about 3 months. you can find trainings that are shorter (but still very expensive) but the quality is much lower. then, once youve finished your training and are ready to work you will not be able to work for a 9-1-1 contracted company right away (i dont know where you live, but they usually require 1 year of experience for a private transport ambulance first). so, you will have to work for a private transport ambulance and your training there will last anywhere between 2 weeks and 1 month, and you will be paid pennies.

also, i have heard that med schools dont actually look upon work as an emt or paramedic more favorably than other clinical experience. if its something that you REALLY want to do, then do it, but dont do it because you think its going to help more than something else.

the issues i mentioned with training being expensive and long apply to most other tech positions (phlebotomy for sure, probably toxicology too).

ive also heard from a pre-med mentor that i have done some work with that one of the most beneficial things you can do is get a strong LOR from someone well known in the community (which of course requires doing comm service with them first). what im learning this application cycle is that networking can really be everything!! so while youre boosting your app and stuff, think about contacts! and use contacts you already have!